How To Legally Bet On Soccer Games Online

How To Bet On Soccer Online?

The first step to betting on soccer online is to create an account with a sportsbook. Once you’ve done that, and are in a state where sports betting is legal, find the “Soccer” tab.

When you select that tab all of the leagues, futures markets, and more should all be available for you to bet on.

How Does Betting on Soccer Work?

If you are familiar with moneylines, spreads, and totals, soccer betting won’t be unfamiliar to you. Soccer utilizes those, with the only twist being the three-way moneyline that is unique to soccer due to the prevalence of draws.

Three-Way Moneyline Betting in Soccer

The three-way moneyline is different from the standard moneyline because it gives bettors the option to bet on a draw along with either team, hence the name. The options would look like this:

• USA: +125

• Japan: +190

• Draw: +165

When you bet on a three-way moneyline, the results are graded based on the results after regular time, including any time added by the referees after the 90th minute. Because you can bet on draws, if you bet on a team and the final result is a draw, your moneyline bet won’t be graded as a push.

Two-Way Moneyline Betting in Soccer

There are two ways to bet a two-way moneyline in soccer, “Draw No Bet” and “Double Chance.”

Draw No Bet

Draw no bet eliminates draws from the moneyline equation, so the only way a wager can win is if either team wins. This changes the odds, usually making the favorite team less profitable and the underdog more profitable.

If the game that you bet “Draw No Bet” on ends in a draw after regulation time, the bet is refunded as a push.

Double Chance

Unlike “Draw No Bet”, a “Double Chance” two-way moneylines factor draws into your bet. When you bet on a specific team, it’s for them to either win or draw. You can also bet on either team winning, meaning a draw would be a losing bet.

An example would look like this:

• Brazil win/draw: -180

• France win/draw: -225

• Brazil win/France win: -200

For each bet, the one result you haven’t selected would be the only way the bet loses.

Goal Lines/Spreads Betting in Soccer

Similar to the spread in other sports, the goal line makes it so that a team must win or lose by a certain margin to become a winning wager.

Most goal lines in soccer are +/- 0.5 goals, but heavy favorites can get up to -1.5 or -2.5 against the goal line.

A team that is favored, say -1.5 goals, must win by at least two goals to beat the goal line. For the team that is +1.5 goals, they beat the goal line by only losing by one goal, playing to a draw, or by winning the match.

Totals Betting in Soccer

Because soccer has less scoring than other sports, betting on soccer totals is done in increments of .25 goals. When you bet on an increment such as over 3.25, it actually splits your bet.

One half of your bet would be over on 3.0 goals, and the other would be over 3.5 total goals. If a game were to end 2-1, you would be refunded half of your bet and lose the other half. If the game ended 2-2, both halves of your bet would win.

If you were to bet under on 3.25, it would split at the same totals, you would just be betting on fewer goals instead. So a 2-1 score would refund one half and pay on the other half. A 2-2 final would result in both bets losing.

How to Read Betting Odds in Soccer?

When you see odds, they will have a number attached to them. That number will tell you two things, which selection is favored, and how much you will get paid if your bet wins.

-110 is commonly found on spreads or totals and is equivalent to a 50/50 chance in betting. The -110 also tells bettors that if they wager $110, they will win $100.

A lower negative number indicates a heavier favorite, but also that you must wager more to win $100. So, if the odds are -205, you would have to put down $205 to win $100 on that bet.

On the other side of the spectrum, a positive number indicates longer odds of success, but also a more rewarding payout. If you see positive odds, it tells you how much you would win if you placed a $100 wager. So, +125 would win you $125 on a $100 bet.

Where To Bet on Soccer?

You can find soccer betting markets in nearly every sportsbook, as soccer is one of the most popular sports on the planet. There’s no right or wrong sportsbook to bet on soccer through, but there are plenty of options available for everyone.

Soccer Betting in the US

While soccer isn’t the most popular sport in America, or near the top of that list, it’s still a sport that’s grown significantly within the last 30 years.

The domestic league, MLS, has emerged and has been growing since 1996. The United States has hosted a World Cup. The US Women’s Team has won multiple international tournaments, including the Olympics and World Cup.

The growth in American soccer has resulted in growth in soccer interest within America. More interest in soccer overall has naturally led to greater interest in soccer betting in domestic and international markets.

The Best US Online Sportsbook for Betting on Soccer

While there is no shortage of options in sportsbooks with soccer availability, some tend to rate better than others. Here are a few of the top soccer betting sportsbooks online in the US.

• DraftKings

• FanDuel

• Caesars

• BetMGM

• PointsBet

• BetRivers

The Best Strategies for Betting on Soccer

There are a bunch of ways to optimize what you get out of soccer betting. These strategies should help you make the most money long-term.

Betting on Favorites

In soccer, favorites tend to win more often than not, or at the very least play to a draw. If you want to win, betting on favorites tends to pay off, even if the odds aren’t the greatest. Betting on an underdog that wins may be more rewarding, but is far less likely to happen.

Using Multiple Sportsbooks

Browsing the different sportsbooks available is a wise strategy to make sure you’re getting the best deal. For the same events, sportsbooks could have completely different odds, special promos, and more that could boost your winnings. It may seem like a hassle, but checking out the options can end up becoming significantly profitable.

Avoid Betting With Your Heart

While betting on your favorite team may be fun, and their success is what you want, that doesn’t mean betting on them is smart. Likewise, wanting a team that you loathe to lose doesn’t mean that betting on them is the right decision. Using your brain is the smartest way to bet, especially if your goal is to make money.

The Best Bets on Soccer

Soccer Prop Bets

Prop bets are all about the things that happen in a game, rather than what the final result is. Popular soccer props include betting on which player will score, how many saves a goalkeeper will make, and much more. For major events, tournaments, and leagues, the list of props available is massive.

Correct Score

This is a prop bet on what the exact final score will be. When you bet this, the number of goals matters, as does whichever team you assign them to. If you bet on Chelsea winning 4-3 and they lose 4-3, your bet won’t win even though the final score of the game was 4-3.

Halftime Result

These bets are taken on who will be winning at halftime of a match. Sometimes you can bet on the correct score for the first half, but often it is simply picking a team.

Halftime/Fulltime Result

This bet is just like the halftime result bet, except you must also accurately predict the winner after full time as well. If you get one of the halves wrong, the bet will lose. It’s similar to a parlay in that both parts must win for the bet to win.

First and Last Goal Scorer

Pretty self-explanatory, these bets are on the players who you think will score the first goal of the game or the last goal of a game.

Scorecasts

One of the hardest bets to hit, to win this bet you must pick the first goal scorer and the final score of the game. Just like the correct score bet, you must accurately bet on the final score for both teams for it to win.

Both Teams to Score (BTTS)

Another self-explanatory bet, taking this simply means you think both teams will have at least one goal in the match. The final tally, the goal differential, or who scores is irrelevant. You can sometimes take these along with the match winner as one bet.

Special Bets

These are just other prop bets or soccer betting markets available in soccer matches. Some are more common than others, such as:

• The first team to score

• Specific player as an anytime goalscorer

• Will there be a red card

• Will there be any penalties

• Number of corner kicks

• Will there be a goal in both halves

• The minutes of the first goal

Futures

Futures bets are wagers on outcomes that won’t be decided until further down the line. If you are looking to bet on award winners or league winners, soccer futures markets are where you will find them.

Handicap/Point Spread in Soccer

In soccer, a handicap and a point spread are essentially the same thing. It is the number of goals that the favorite team should win by, according to the oddsmakers. The point spread can start at 0.5 goals and increase from there depending on the disparity between the teams.

Spread Betting in Soccer

Spread betting in soccer is more similar to betting the over/under, but without a fixed payout once you place your wager.

You can buy or sell the number of goals you think the game will have. Buying is like taking the over, and selling is like taking the under. The number of goals scored determines not only whether you win or lose money, but how much money that becomes.

The difference between the real number of goals and how much you bought or sold at is multiplied by your stake to determine the payout. Let’s say you bought at 2.60 for $100, and the match had 4 goals total:

• 4 - 2.60 = 1.40

• 1.40 x $100 = $140

• Your $100 wager would net $140 in profits.

Now let’s say the game only had 1 total goal:

• 2.60 - 1 = 1.60

• 1.60 x $100 = $160

• Your $100 would lose you $160, more than you wagered because the stakes weren’t fixed.

There’s greater risk and reward when you spread bet in soccer because each goal affects how much you stand to win or lose.

Asian Handicap Betting in Soccer

Similarly to how totals have quarter increments, an Asian Handicap bet in soccer adds that to goal line bets. So when you bet on an increment such as 0.25 or 0.75, it splits the bet into two. One that covers half a goal over and one that goes for half a goal under what you chose.

It works exactly like soccer totals, except it is for the final margin like goal lines are.

Parlay Bets in Soccer

If you are looking to win big for the price of one bet, parlays are the option for you.

When you play a parlay, you combine multiple single wagers into one, greatly boosting the odds and potential rewards. The catch is that every single bet must win for the parlay to lose. If a single one is wrong, the entire parlay loses, and you win nothing.

When you create a parlay, outcomes that are tied together typically aren’t allowed to be played together. However, a lot of sportsbooks now have pre-made parlays available to choose from.

The Best Soccer Leagues to Bet On

There are countless soccer leagues worldwide, but some get far more exposure and coverage than others. Here are some of the best for bettors.

• UEFA Champions League

• English Premier League (EPL)

• La Liga

• Major League Soccer (MLS)

Betting on Soccer FAQ's

Is Soccer Betting Legal in the US?

Yes, you can legally bet on soccer in the US, in states where sports betting is legal. That could be online or in-person betting, but most sportsbooks have soccer.

Where Can I Bet on Soccer?

You can bet on soccer at nearly every legal sportsbook, as most will carry the biggest leagues at least.

What Are the Best Soccer Bets?

Everybody has different preferences when it comes to their favorite bet, and there is no right or wrong way to bet on soccer. It depends on what works for you.

Are There Soccer Prop Bets?

Yes, there are tons of prop bets available for soccer matches, between player props, team props, and game props.

Can You Make Money Betting on Soccer?

Yes, you can make money betting on soccer if you win frequently or win at long enough odds to offset losses.

What Do Odds Mean in Soccer Betting?

Odds are numbers that tell you how likely a bet is to win and how much the bet will pay out if it wins.

Is Soccer Betting Legal in Canada?

Yes, you can also bet on soccer legally in Canada.

What Does Draws Mean in Soccer Betting?

A draw means that the final score was tied, so neither team wins (or loses) the match.

Can You Parlay Soccer Bets?

Yes, you can create parlays in soccer, and they are a very popular way to bet on soccer.

What States Allow Online Soccer Betting?

The following states allow soccer betting online:

• Arizona
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Michigan
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• Washington DC
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

What is the Most Profitable Bet for Soccer?

Parlays are usually the most profitable, but a spread bet can also be very profitable if you buy and the goal total is greatly exceeded.